Bob Tremblay: Why McCain will be president

Friday

Jul 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMJul 25, 2008 at 9:52 AM

The Democrats have once again nominated a man who cannot win. The only circumstance that could cost McCain the election is if he throws a temper tantrum during a televised debate. And even then, people will still vote for him. "That man's got moxie," they'll say.

Bob Tremblay

Sen. John McCain will be the next president of the United States.

That is a virtual guarantee for the simple reason that the Democrats have once again nominated a man who cannot win. The only circumstance that could cost McCain the election is if he throws a temper tantrum during a televised debate. And even then, people will still vote for him. "That man's got moxie," they'll say.

Three factors will tip the scale in McCain's favor over Sen. Barack Obama, and you don't need a degree in political science to figure out what they are.

No. 1 - Racism. For all the people who will vote for Obama just because he's black, far more will vote against him. While progress has been made regarding race relations in the United States, anyone who doesn't think racism still runs rampant in this country is an optimist or a fool.

Do you think a nation that only a few years ago wouldn't let blacks drink at the same water fountains as whites has cleaned up its act enough to elect a black man president of the United States?

Obama's Muslim-sounding name won't do him any favors either, considering how many Americans equate Muslims with evil. They're the 21st-century version of communists.

In more than 200 years, this country has elected only white WASPs as president with the exception of John F. Kennedy, a white Catholic. If you want to see diversity in action, don't go looking for it in the appropriately named White House.

No. 2. Experience. This is the word you'll hear over and over again as people explain why they're not voting for Obama. For many people, "experience" is a code word for "I ain't voting for that uppity (fill in the blank)."

Other people will point to McCain's 22 years in the Senate and his Vietnam War service as reasons for voting for him. "In these war-torn times, we need a man who is war-tested as a commander-in-chief," they'll say. The implication is that if Obama is elected, Osama bin Laden will be opening a Terrorists 'R' Us franchise in a mall near you.

Experience is a plus, of course, but it's overrated when discussing necessary attributes for presidential success. What good is someone who served decades in political office if that person didn't do anything worthwhile? Far more important are leadership skills, courage, integrity, the ability to inspire and, for a change of pace, intelligence and the willingness to acknowledge mistakes.

Voters who place a high priority on experience should know that Abraham Lincoln, arguably the greatest president this country has ever produced, didn't exactly have an extensive political resume before running for the White House. He served one term as a U.S. congressman and failed in his one attempt for U.S. Senate.

No. 3. Liberalism. The "L" word might as well be a swear word these days. "Obama will raise taxes." "Obama will be soft on dictators." This country has been inherently conservative from Day One and after 9/11, it has only become more so, and Republicans own the conservative vote. In the past 40 years, only two Democrats have been elected president. One got in thanks to Watergate, the second got in thanks to a third-party candidate.

Listen to some pundits, however, and McCain is a surefire loser. They'll point to his pledge to prolong the Iraq war as one unpopular stance. They'll point to his opposition to women's rights and his support for tax cuts even as the economy goes south. They'll point to his low rating among conservatives. They'll point to the unfavorable polls. They can point all they want. When push comes to shove, the conservatives will hold their noses and vote for McCain, as will plenty of moderates.

Anyone who thinks the American voter will do the right thing at the polls should be reminded of two words - George Bush. This country not only elected arguably the worst president in the history of the United States, it re-elected him. You'd think this nation would be fed up with Republican ineptitude. You'd think wrong. Don't you know it's all Congress' fault anyway? And that would be the Congress controlled by godless, appeasing, liberal Democrats.

Bob Tremblay is a MetroWest Daily News staff member. He can be reached at btremblay@cnc.com or 508-626-4409.

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